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Worms, Blasphemous and Overcooked publisher Team17 is the latest video game company to face job lossesWhat a terrible few months for the industry it’s been
What a terrible few months for the industry it’s been
Image credit:Team17
Image credit:Team17
The recent spate of job losses across the video game industry in recent weeks and months is set to continue at Worms creator-turned-indie publishing powerhouse Team17. The UK company behindWorms,Blasphemous,Overcooked,Dredgeand more is reportedly facing “significant” job losses and has seen its CEO depart as it looks to restructure.
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Eurogamer reportedthat Team17 staff were informed of the restructuring and consultation process in a company meeting this morning, with the consultation period due to last until November.
Team17 later confirmed the plans toVG247, as well as confirming that CEO Michael Pattison, who joined in late 2021 after almost a decade handling third-party dev and publisher relations at PlayStation, had departed after almost two years.
Team17 laid off devs across its art and design teams in March as part of a stated “re-alignment”, with staff told at the time that additional layoffs would not happen.
Last year, a number of Team17 staffalleged poor working conditions at the company, including reports of low pay, long hours and management concerns. The complains followed widespread backlash against Team17’s plans for NFTs, which saw staff - who reportedly weren’t warned of the announcement beforehand - facing public harassment.
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The NFT project was cancelled the day after it was revealed. At the time, Pattison promised that“action will be taken”in light of the “real problems” raised, which included claims of low salaries for QA staff.
Team17’s planned job losses follow a devastating few weeks for the games industry as a whole, as Sega cancelled Creative Assembly’s upcoming loot-shooterHyenas- leading to expected layoffs across the UK studio - and Epic Gamesrevealed it would cut over 800 staff, including devs atFall Guysstudio Mediatonic.
The latest round of layoffs continues what’s proved to be a devastating 2023 for the industry, ranging fromthe closure of veteran Saints Row devs Volitionunder Embracer (which is undergoing its ownbrutal restructuring process) to the end ofShadow GambitstudioMimimiand layoffs atBioWare,CD Projekt Red,Relic,Scavengers StudioandEA.
